Using the wrong power supply regulator can lead to a host of power issues. What’s worse, it may threaten your property, livelihood, or your very life. Not to sound like an alarmist but picking the appropriate power source is paramount to protecting your tangible assets.
Let’s go through three products一surge protector, automatic voltage regulator (AVR), and power strip一to determine when and how to use them appropriately.
Surge protector
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A surge protector is what it is: prevents power surge at the connected device or devices. Power travels from the main and reaches the device, and high power may damage the device.
A surge protector is equipped with an MOV or metal oxide varistor with lower resistance at a higher voltage. Connecting the live to the ground wire, the MOV exhibits high resistance. When this happens, electricity is not conducted from its source, which is the live wire. This occurs under normal conditions.
However, when there’s a surge, resistance drops. So the MOV will start channeling into the live wire instead so that the surge will not reach any connected device.
If you need one, the best surge protectors come with circuit breakers and universal outlets. For instance, this Panther surge protector comes from 1.75 to 5 meters with a maximum capacity of 2,500 watts. This means you may connect up to six devices at the same time without worrying about
Furthermore, surge protectors have a Joule rating. The higher the Joule rating, the better and the longer its expected use. It also means it can better withstand a series of small spikes. This is important since we live in a tropical country that experienced thunderstorms and lightning, having a surge protector is necessary.
AVR
Now, if you live in an area with unstable power supply, you will need an AVR. An AVR normalizes the voltage when the input voltage is too high or beyond the nominal 220 voltage, the standard voltage of our appliances in the Philippines.
Like the surge protector, an AVR can accommodate voltage dips or surges through increasing or lowering the voltage when it exceeds the 220 threshold. Thus, AVR can also protect your devices as the AVR levels out the voltage delivered to a device. But while it compensates for the changing voltage, AVR can only limit surges to an extent.
Observe how your appliances behave when the compressor on your refrigerator or freezer kicks in or the air-conditioner is turned on. Did the light dim a little? Did it flicker? Or, take a few seconds to light completely? All these are signs of an issue with power delivery wherein the voltage sags when appliances are used simultaneously.
This might not concern you, but it should. This can shorten the lifespan of your appliances as well as the connected devices. Additionally, if you are working from home, your desktop computer or laptop may crash completely when using a higher power draw appliance.
Power strip
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A power strip, which is a long strip with several outlets, plugs into an outlet to power your electronic devices. Power strips function as an extension of the power outlet, giving extra outlets to plug devices into.
At home and in offices, standard outlets are equipped with two sockets. But what if you want to plug in more? This is where the role of a power strip comes in一for extra outlet space. Think of it as a reservoir.
Power strips are best used when the appliances or devices are close to one another. Its use boils down to convenience since a power strip is built with several outlets, on/off switch, and circuit breaker. Besides, some power strips come with built-in surge protectors to level the voltage when too many devices are used at one time.
Much like an AVR transformer such as the Panther transformer that handles up to 2,500 watts, a power strip can handle 1,800 watts or higher. However, it would help if you watched what devices you are plugging into the power outlet.
While the goal of having a power strip is to get more sockets for simultaneous use of devices, plugging in several devices at one time can lead to overheating or electrical failure. So be careful not to overload the power strip.
Which to use: surge protector, AVR or power strip?
Both the surge protector and AVR can protect your appliance. However, the surge protector can only protect appliances and devices up to a specific voltage as indicated by the Joule rating.
With this said, an AVR can better protect appliances from voltage fluctuations (spikes and dips). However, the protection it can provide is also limited by the rated capacity (wattage).
Finally, a power strip cannot offer the level of protection that the surge protector and AVR can. However, the power strip can give extra sockets that a surge protector and AVR cannot一again, to a certain extent.
Which one to use? The best answer lies in understanding how stable the power supply is from where you live or work. If there are voltage fluctuations from time to time, use a surge protector or AVR. If you need to plug in more, then use a power strip.